The first trailer for David Fincher’s The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, albeit in Spanish. This is presumably the same one that’s been playing in front of Indy 4 in U.S. theatres, but then I wouldn’t know. Is it?

My final Cannes event was a Sony Pictures Classics press luncheon at the Carlton Beach for Atom Egoyan‘s Adoration, which costars Scott Speedman, Rachel Blanchard, Kenneth Welsh and Devon Bostick. I’ll write something this weekend (I’m currently sitting at Nice Airport, running on battery), but there’s been a respectful reaction among journos I’ve spoken to thus far. The IMDB plot keywords: “Irish Terrorist, Pregnant Girlfriend, Based On True Story.”

IHOP publicist Jessica Uzzan (l.), Atom Egoyan (r., seated).

Variety‘s Anne Thompson, The Envelope‘s Pete Hammond, SPC’s Michael Barker at today’s luncheon — 5.23, 1:25 pm

Adoration star Scott Speedman, Cinematical’s Kim Voynar — 5.23, 1:55 pm

Free grub.

Telluride Film Festival co-honcho Tom Luddy (l.), chief Variety critic Todd McCarthy (r.) — 5.23, 2:20 pm

I have to get to a Sony Pictures Classics luncheon now. (Late for it actually.) I’ll post some kind of reaction to Charlie Kaufman‘s Synecdoche, New York later this afternoon.

Synecdoche, New York costar Michelle Williams, director-writer Charlie Kaufman, costar Catherine Keener — 5.23, 11:07 am.

Cast of Synecdoche, New York at this morning’s press conference — 5.23, 11:15 am

Rahul K. Parikh, M.D., has written an open letter to George Lucas and Steven Spielberg on Salon attacking…well, not these guys in particular but Paramount’s Indy 4 marketers for pushing junk-food tie-ins. The gist is that with childhood obesity now at alarming rates, movie tie-ins to fast food are irresponsible.
True, but why single Paramount out? Haven’t a fairly high percentage of summer tentpole movies used junk-food campaigns for at least the last couple of decades, if not longer? Not to sound cold or dismissive, but the writing has been on the wall for a long time and tens of millions of middle- and lower-middle-class parents (i.e., the ones living in self-enclosed membranes) either don’t want to read it, can’t afford to feed their kids healthy diets, or they’re too distracted or doped up themselves to focus and change course.
The brutal fact is that millions of sedentary, computer-game-obsessed kids in flyover states are doomed to suffer higher disease rates and shortened life spans due to morbid obesity, which is the inevitable result of eating crap and doing no exercise. Which is — okay, agreed — partly the responsibility of movie marketers, but more directly the responsibility of their parents. People out there are doped up on so many unhealthy things, and the corporations are naturally cool with this because they’re making big money from being the pushers. And I’m not just talking about junk food.

Fantasy Moguls’ Steve Mason is reporting that last night’s “box office results for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull “are very good, but shy of the meteoric predictions made by many box-office analysts, including yours truly. It appears that the George Lucas/Steven Spielberg collaboration, the first Indiana Jones sequel in 19 years, grabbed an estimated $26 million yesterday. That’s well below the $50 million haul enjoyed by Lucas√ɬ¢√¢‚Äö¬¨√¢‚Äû¬¢ Star Wars: Episode III √ɬ¢√¢‚Äö¬¨√¢‚Ǩ≈ì Revenge of the Sith on Thursday, May 19, 2005. The film was thought to have a chance to surpass Sith’s $172.8 million 5-day record, but that’s now improbable at best.”

I’ve just emerged from the semi-nourishing, semi-tortured Fellini-esque Chinese box mindfuck-dreamscape that is Charlie Kaufman‘s Synecdoche, New York…and the press conference is just starting. [Ten minutes later] Kaufman has just explained the title’s pronunciation: Syn-ECK-duh-kee. At least that‘s settled.

“When I was in school I’d go to an art house and everyone there would be in their 60s. Today I go and they’re all in their 80s.” — Roadside Attractions’ Dustin Smith at today’s independent distribution panel at the American Pavillion (which doesn’t have wifi as we speak).

“I find it hilarious that people always complain about movies being the same, and then when something different comes along — a film that deals the cards in a different way — they say why isn’t it more conventional?” — Che director Steven Soderbergh reacting to my question about how some critics complained after last night’s screening that Che didn’t have enough in the way of movie moments (backstory, emotional buttons, intimate revealings, etc.)

Che star Benicio del Toro, director Steven Soderbergh during just-concluded press conference — 5.22.08, 12:40 pm.

“There’s the painter who did a portrait of a woman, and when she saw it she said, ‘It doesn’t look like me.’ And the painter replied, ‘Oh, it will.'” — Benicio del Toro responding more or less to the same.

What does it say about people presumed to know a great deal about the art of movies but who put down or dismiss a film that eschews conventional drama (intimate revelations, emotional moments, striking plot turns) but delivers like a wizard in terms of convincing the viewer that what’s on-screen isn’t a product of the usual prepared trickery but something intensely scrupulous and honest and, as far as it goes, as “real” as it gets’? What does it say about people who see a film like this and go “meh” ? You can’t watch a live-wire film like Che and say “give me more.” It is what it is, and it gives you plenty. Take no notice of anyone who says it doesn’t.

“Unfortunately, at least in the balcony which is out of the sight line where the filmmakers sit, the crowd noticeably thinned after intermission. A little less than half the seats in my 50 seat or so section were suddenly empty along with dozens of others scattered throughout the upper regions. Perhaps those moviegoers had dinner reservations somewhere? Or maybe they just knew how it was going to end. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: You can’t please everyone in Cannes.” — from Pete Hammond‘s Envelope report about last night’s Che screening.

Che director Steven Soderbergh, costar Catalina Sandino Moreno, star Benicio del Toro prior to last night’s Grand Lumiere showing.